Specifically for Collagen types and Laminin. Essentially, I want to change the ECM composition in vivo.
Depends on your in vivo system, however, in generally talking, what you can do is 1) inhibition of synthesis using siRNA, or 2) using same form of matrigel in which you can add ECM of your preference.
Thanks for your reply Dr. Uede. I want to do this at an organismal level (in vivo for Hydra). I essentially want to check for a particular condition, what happens if i change the ECM composition. I know siRNA is a good way to do so but in hydra, its a bit tricky. I want chemical inhibitors for biosynthesis of ECM components (Collagen or Laminin) assuming the biosynthetic pathway is conserved.
A very effective chemical inhibitor of collagen and elastin crosslinking (inhibits lysyl oxidase activity) is beta aminopropionitrile (BAPN). I used the fumarate salt, which you can buy from Sigma. You can use it at high concentrations in vivo, although I have never worked on Hydra.
In nature, hydra lives surrounded by water. I have trouble imagining when the hydra need to be surrounded by ECM.
@Christopher R Harlow, I think its a good idea. I just want to confirm if lysyl oxidase has any other functions unrelated to ECM remodelling?
Not that I'm aware of, I think this enzyme is very specific in its role in collagen and elastin cross-linking, although it has also been implicated in cancer metastasis. Having said this, there is some evidence that Pro-LOX has another role as a tumour suppressor - see e.g.: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24882580
The current uderstanding of lysyl oxidase biology is that this family of enzymes primarily is related to collagen and elastin biosynthesis and remodeling. So the primary effect of BAPN would most likely be on ECM structure. Other targets and functions are being discovered, and in addition BAPN at high concentrations could have some off-target effects; but as a first approximation, BAPN would seem to be a good compound to try in your system. It would be important, however, to check whether hydra have lysyl oxidase genes; I think C. elegans does not.
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